“Getting an understanding of the landscape and the key players in the community and taking inventory of the current state of affairs, who’s doing what, beginning to connect with other staff and other agencies, that’s what we want her to do," he says.

Gabriel says Sue Wheeler from Maple Ridge was hired as the city's new social development manager and began working mid-July.

The next step is to get her to before council this fall, Gabriel says, with some initial recommendations and continued direction.

“The idea is she will have a snapshot of what’s going, here’s what we recommend for our approach,” Gabriel says.

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